Sermons on Discipleship (Page 4)
Defining Moments
Sermon text: Esther 4:10-5:4 We all face challenges in life. Some of these situations can seem too big to overcome. Queen Esther faced a life-threatening predicament of her own. How God led her through that defining moment in her life teaches us how to approach our own tough times.
The Difference
Sermon text: Matthew 5:13-16 Early in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus challenges His followers to impact the world. He tells us that we are to be salt and light to a lost and dying generation. This speaks to what we do and why we do it. We must be different than those who don’t know Jesus as their Lord. And when they see the difference, we can lead them to a saving knowledge of Jesus as well.
Lessons from a Donkey
Sermon text: Mark 11:1-11 On the first Palm Sunday Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem. This was in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. We really don’t consider the donkey much in the whole panorama of the triumphal entry narratives. But we can learn a lot from this humble animal used by our Lord.
No Worries
Sermon text: 1 Peter 5:6-7 We often hear people quote 1 Peter 5:7: “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” Thing is, this is the second half of a sentence that begins in verse 6. And this is where things can go wrong. In order to experience the positive impact of verse 7, you have to put verse 6 into practice.
Proper Expectations
Sermon text: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 Paul had a lot to deal with when it came to the church in Corinth. One particularly onerous situation involved an incestuous relationship within the fellowship. What made matters worse was that the church leadership was accepting of this sin in their midst. Paul had told them earlier that they could not fellowship with these types of people. But the Corinthian Christians didn’t get it. They though he meant to not befriend people caught up…
Don’t Try…Die
Sermon text: Galatians 2:20 Many followers of Christ live what could be called a Christian lifestyle. They pursue choices that they believe match up with Scripture and avoid those which don’t. There’s nothing wrong with this. In fact, it’s commendable to wanting to live in accordance with biblical standards. But it’s also easy for this to tip into religion. And Christians aren’t called to be religious. We’re called to be surrendered to Jesus.
Don’t Settle
Sermon text: Genesis 16:1-6 God’s plan for each of us is perfect. That shouldn’t be surprising, since God is all-knowing. In fact, He’s know His plan since before creation. Yet, we imperfect and certainly not all-knowing humans try to convince Him of the merits of our plans. We settle for something that we don’t even know is going to turn out right, instead of His perfect plan.
Caution Ahead
Sermon Text: Romans 16:19 As Paul finishes his letter to the Roman Christians, he warns them of a potential threat. Many scholars believe that this would be false teachers, who would confuse and divide these believers. There are many threats today confronting the modern church. Christians today must heed the same warning and instruction provided by Paul.
The Master’s Business
Sermon text: Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus’ parable of the talents challenges believers to use our resources for God’s glory now, while we have opportunity. We don’t know when Jesus will return. It could be today. We need to make sure we’re making the most of all that Lord has blessed us with to reach and impact others. The parable also makes it clear that an unwillingness to do this indicates that someone is not a follower of Christ.
Let the Spirit Lead
Sermon Text: Acts 16:6-10 The Holy Spirit would not allow Paul and his fellow travelers to go north or south. So they kept on going until they ran out of road. Only then did Paul receive his next directive from the Lord. This episode teaches us a great deal about how the Holy Spirit can lead our lives.